Doctor’s Notes T
hink of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) as an early warning that your digestive process isn’t work-
ing properly – as a sign of impending bigger problems. If you’re experiencing symptoms that include abdominal pain, full- ness, gas, and bloating that have been
present for at least three days a month for the last three months you might be suffering with IBS. Sometimes the symptoms are reduced or go away after a bowel movement. Symptoms range from mild to severe; most people have mild symptoms. People with IBS may switch between constipation and diar- rhea, or mostly have one or the other. People with diarrhea will have frequent, loose, watery stools. They will often have an urgent need to have a bowel movement, which may be hard to control. Those with constipation will have a hard time passing stools, as well as fewer bowel movements. They will often need to strain and will feel cramps with a bowel movement. Often, they do not release any stool, or only a small amount. For some, the symptoms may be worse for a few weeks or a month, and then decrease for a while. For other people, symptoms are present most of the time. People with IBS may even lose their appetite.
IBS can begin at any age, but often begins in the teen years or early adulthood. This condition is more common in women than men and one in six people in the U.S. have IBS symptoms. It is now the most prevalent intestinal problem in our society. Why is IBS so common these days? The answers are simple.
First, many foods are produced with harmful additives that adversely affect normal body function (digestion). In addition, stress and pres- sure can be daily experiences in our lives. Many medical practitioners treat IBS symptoms rather than look-
ing for causes. They prescribe dangerous medications to mask these symptoms and the patient believes that this is the answer because their symptoms subside in many cases. What we fail to realize is that the alarm was shut off but the building is still blazing. This way of thinking is not only dangerous, but foolish as well. The symptoms of IBS are an early warning signal for people to
change direction nutritionally and to adopt healthier habits before serious conditions commence, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.
Simple solutions include reducing stress on a daily basis to
control nerve excitability. The intestines are connected to the brain; signals go back and forth between the bowel and brain. These signals affect bowel function and internal balance. The nerves can become more active during stress, causing the intestines to be more sensitive and squeeze (contract) more. This can obviously create intestinal disturbances and ultimately IBS will surface. Some safe methods of reducing stress include daily exercise and meditation. The other solution revolves around the fact that the digestive
tract is inhabited by billions of good and bad bacteria, with our gut producing the prime real estate for them to both grow and thrive. It’s important to understand that good bacteria in the colon are af- fected by antibiotics, steroids, birth control pills, synthetic hormones, bad diets, poor nutrition, and environmental toxins. This is just a
Dr. Patrick Defrancesco IBS is an Early Warning
sampling of what can kill off the good bacteria, inhibit your body’s ability to fight off bad bacteria or just plain provide an overwhelming feeding frenzy for the bad guys to set up shop. When bad bacteria starts getting the upper hand in your intes-
tinal tract, yeast often moves in and takes up residence as well. This shift in your gut causes problems and is the essence of IBS. Without plenty of good bacteria your health begins to suffer. We don’t realize that certain foods we choose have a direct impact on our intestinal health. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a sugar and derived from corn that is added to many products because it is inexpensive and makes the food taste better. How do you think we’ve increased our sugar intake four-fold in just 30 years? It was by this stealthy adulteration of the food supply. Corn is subsidized by the government; many companies use high fructose corn syrup in their products because it helps keep costs down. These companies are more concerned with profits than consumer health. What we are not told is that high fructose corn syrup causes more damage and absorption issues in the intestines than any other product on the market today. Our bodies were not meant to ingest this product; it is a huge contributor to our national ill-health epidemic. Read all nutritional labels before purchasing any product in a box, jar, or any other container.
If symptoms of IBS are affecting you it is imperative to remove high fructose corn syrup from your diet. Also, add a quality probiotic (10-20 billion units) per day to your diet and take digestive enzymes 20 minutes before each meal. These products coupled with reduced daily stress and healthier food choices low in sugars, especially HFCS, will start you on the road to a healthier and happier colon.
Submitted by Dr. Patrick DeFrancesco of Chiropractic Health Center of Glastonbury. For more information, contact 860-657-8800 or visit
www.glastonburychiro.com.
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